Emma DeSouza

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Emma DeSouza is a writer, political commentator,[1] journalist and campaigner.[2]

DeSouza is best known for having taken forward the first Human Rights case[3] of the Good Friday Agreement when she took the British Home Office to court alongside her US husband, over the right to be accepted as Irish under the terms of the Agreement. The case related to EU family reunion rights and resulted in substantial changes to domestic UK immigration rules.[4] In May 2020 [5] the British Home Office announced that the people of Northern Ireland would be considered EU citizens for immigration purposes.[6] This result was cited as a significant victory.[7]

The case received widespread political support, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar [8] singled out Emma DeSouza during an address to an audience in Washington DC, which included US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis, at the National Building Museum for praise.

DeSouza's other campaign work includes voting rights for Irish Citizens Abroad[9] and campaigning for full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement [10]

DeSouza is a writer, political commentator, and journalist who has contributed to Huffpost UK,[11] Business Post, [12] the Irish News,[13] The Guardian,[14] Euronews,[15] Journal.ie,[16] The Examiner [14] and the Irish Times.[17]

DeSouza was one of a number of high profile [13] people targeted by the columnist Eoghan Harris under his anonymous Twitter account Barbara J Pym.[18] According to DeSouza, "Much of the abuse was levied at Northern Ireland nationalists, or those deemed nationalists by Harris."[19]

References[]

  1. ^ Walsh, David (May 3, 2021). "With unionism in turmoil, is now the time for a united Ireland?". euronews.
  2. ^ "'Hierarchy of Irishness' to be raised at citizenship conference". ITV News. February 15, 2021.
  3. ^ Carswell, Simon. "Explainer: What is the Emma DeSouza case about?". The Irish Times.
  4. ^ "People born in Northern Ireland get improved family reunion rights". Free Movement. May 21, 2020.
  5. ^ Law, Granite Immigration (May 21, 2020). "UK: Changes to Immigration Rules: Northern Ireland-born British and Irish win EU citizenship rights".
  6. ^ "EU citizenship rule takes effect after Northern Ireland woman's battle". Belfasttelegraph – via www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk.
  7. ^ "Northern Ireland-born British and Irish win EU citizenship rights". the Guardian. May 14, 2020. The Home Office made its rule change in parliament on Thursday, finally bringing immigration law into line with the 1998 peace deal, which allows anyone born in Northern Ireland to be British, Irish or both.
  8. ^ "DeSouza campaign over Irish citizenship receives 'warm welcome' in Washington DC". Belfasttelegraph – via www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk.
  9. ^ Correspondent, Suzanne Lynch Washington. "Emma de Souza appointed vice-chairwoman of voting rights body". The Irish Times.
  10. ^ "Good Friday Agreement: New online resource presents full text with video explainers". IrishCentral.com. April 21, 2021.
  11. ^ "Opinion: The Good Friday Agreement Protected My Generation. We Can't Lose It To Brexit". HuffPost UK. March 5, 2021.
  12. ^ DeSouza, Emma. "Comment: Without a senator from Northern Ireland the promise of a shared island rings hollow". Business Post.
  13. ^ a b Simpson, Claire (May 7, 2021). "Journalist Aoife Moore had to have counselling after trolling from Eoghan Harris-linked Twitter account". The Irish News.
  14. ^ a b "It is not up to the UK government to decide whether I'm Irish or not | Emma DeSouza". the Guardian. May 6, 2019.
  15. ^ "I'm not British. I was born Irish. It's simply who I am and no court will tell me otherwise ǀ View". euronews. November 4, 2019.
  16. ^ DeSouza, Emma. "Opinion: Teaching children digital literacy is a must if we are to combat misinformation". TheJournal.ie.
  17. ^ DeSouza, Emma. "Emma DeSouza: Want to keep the peace in the North? Elect more women". The Irish Times.
  18. ^ Editor, Daniel McConnell Political (May 7, 2021). "Eoghan Harris Twitter accounts banned for violating rules on 'manipulation and spam'". Irish Examiner.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  19. ^ McCarthy, Justine; Tighe, Mark (May 16, 2021). "Nine take legal action against Twitter attacks linked to Eoghan Harris". The Sunday Times. Retrieved July 12, 2021. DeSouza sued the Home Office in 2015 to assert the right of people in Northern Ireland to be considered Irish from birth, under the Good Friday agreement. She had applied for a residence card for her husband from California using her Irish passport. The application was rejected on the basis that she should have applied as a British citizen. She dropped the case after the UK government amended its legislation.
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